Things You Ought To Know about Bonsai in Japan

Many people, especially those without a proper knowledge about the art of bonsai, believe that bonsai is originally coming from Japan. They seem to be misled by the fact that this country has done a great job in increasing the popularity of bonsai throughout the world.

To tell you the truth, it was China that practiced this unique art for the first time long before the Japanese bonsai artists or hobbyists started to prune and trim their trees.

You can either create a bonsai out of an evergreen plant or deciduous ones. Bonsai in Japan was a result of the Chinese society and culture adaptation conducted by Japanese people.

formal upright bonsai

Historically, the art of bonsai was introduced in Japan by the Zen Buddhist monks between 1185 to 1333. It is strongly believed that the Japanese people started to get themselves involved in practicing the art of bonsai since 1105. Despite the fact that some researchers have revealed some evidence, pointing out the exact date of this historical event seems like very impossible.

The Styles of Japan Bonsai

informal upright bonsai

The art of bonsai has become an important part of their life. After living with the art of bonsai for so long, Japanese bonsai enthusiasts managed to develop five different basic styles.

If you happen to be a new comer in the world of bonsai, then it would be much better if learn about the five basic styles of Japan bonsai. You can use these five basic styles as a good reference for growing your own bonsai plat properly.

The first two styles of Japanese bonsai are the formal upright and informal upright styles. You can easily notice their difference at the shape of trunk. When the formal style always features a bolt upright trunk with evenly spaced branches, the informal one is generally marked with an S-shaped trunk.

S-shaped trunk bonsai

The next Japanese bonsai style is the slanting style. In addition to the S shape you see in the previous style, the third bonsai style features leaned trunk up to 80 degrees. Another bonsai style in recognized in Japan is semi cascade style. This style is marked by a trunk or main branch that heads towards the ground. The bonsai grower needs to make it look as natural as it could be so that the style represents an escape effort of the tree from its pot.

semi cascade bonsai

When you see a Japanese bonsai with its trunk drops lower than the base of its pot, then what you see is the full cascade bonsai style. A good knowledge about Japanese bonsai style will give you a clear guideline on how to grow your bonsai at home.

full cascade bonsai

What Else You Need to Know?

The Japanese people have practiced the art of bonsai for many centuries. Thus, there should be plenty of other things we need to know about bonsai in Japan. In this country, bonsai plants are mostly used in decorating their houses. Thus, do not be too surprised to find plenty of bonsai in many houses in Japan.

Japanese people have come up with their own cultivation techniques when it comes to growing their bonsai trees. The art of Japanese bonsai mostly involves leaf trimming, pruning, wiring, clamping, grafting, defoliation and deadwood. All these are required to create a wonderful bonsai plant to decorate the house.

Every type of bonsai plant require proper caring process and so does the Japanese bonsai.

In order to help the bonsai plants grow properly and come up with a wonderful appearance, they should be treated very carefully. Most bonsai plants in Japan utilize small pots.

This leads us to a very cautious watering system. You need to understand that too little or less frequent watering will dry out the plant. Should you leave the bonsai plant over watered, it is more likely that you invite fungal infections and rooting to the bonsai plants.

Japanese bonsai has come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Some of them are better placed indoors whereas some other bonsai plants are meant for outdoor decoration.

Should you wish to grow a Japanese bonsai tree and turn it into a beautiful piece of plant in your home, it is important for you to come with proper care, maintenance, practice and plenty of patience.